Cattle-guard.



A. M. HOWERY & J. B. CLARK.

CATTLE GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12:, 1906.

Pdtented Dec. 15, 1908 @M A. a, m a 1G n r 0b. r 2 F 1 Q r 4 IM 2. j w l .w m.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS rns uoxms PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATEB IEATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT M. IIOWERY AND JOHN B. CLARK, OF EASTBANK, WEST VIRGINIA.

CATTLE-GUARD.

1 and JOHN B. CLARK, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Eastbank, in the county of Kanawha and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Cattle-Guard, of which. the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to cattle guards for railroads, of the type known as surface guards, that do not require special pits formed for their occupation when installed.

The purpose of our invention is to provide novel details of construction for a cattle guard, that will effectively prevent the crossing of a railroad track by cattle, or other animals that avoid traverse of insecure supporting surfaces.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination. of parts, as is hereinafter described and defined in the ap pended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved cattle guard in position on a railroad track, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, substantially on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view substantia 1y on the line 33 in Fig. 1 Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the novel details, hereinafter more fully described; and Fig. 5 is a partial side view looking in the direction of the arrow as in Fig. 3.

In the drawings, which illustrate the construction and application of the improved cattle guard for guarding a railroad track, A represents the railroad cross ties in spaced position on a graded roadbed, and B track rails mounted and secured on the ties.

The improved cattle guard mainly consists of a suitable number of similar guard bars 10, having such a length as will adapt them for effective service. The guard bars are formed of metal, in semi-tubular form, that is to say, concavo-convex in cross section, of a thickness and width that will give them proper strength to bear heavy weight without bendm Tor effective service, the im roved cattle guard may, with advantage, e formed in three sections, two of said sections being Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 13, 1908.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Serial No. 432,593.

positioned respectively at the outer sides of the track rails B, on the extended cross ties A, and the remaining section disposed be tween said track rails, as appears in Figs. 1 and 3. For each cattle guard section specified, a plurality of bearing bars 11 are furnished, which are secured at proper distances apart transversely on the flat lower sides of the guard bars 10, by means of rivets or bolts, these bearing bars being parallel with each other and with the ends of the guard bars that are respectively arranged in alinement with each other at each end of each of the guard sections. The guard bars 10 are spaced apart parallel with each other such a distance as will prevent the feet of cattle from passing down between them, and from the convexity of their upper surfaces a very uncomfortable footing is produced for the travel of cattle thereover.

The ends a of all the guard bars 10 are tapered somewhat, so as to slope said ends downward and laterally, as shown for one end a of one guard bar in Fig. 1.

The three sections of the cattle guard are each supported on springs, so as to yield when stepped upon, these supports being similar in construction, each comprising the following details: As shown, clearly in. Fig. 4, each spring device embodies a substantially U- shaped hanger box 12, having a flat bottom wall I) and flanges 0 extended oppositely from the upper ends of the parallel sides of said box. A similarly formed cap piece 13 is fitted into the hanger box 12, and the flanges c thereon lap upon the upper sides of the flanges c which they serve to reinforce. The hanger boxes 12, in sulficient number, are positioned between two of the cross ties A that are below and at each side of a bearing bar 11, and are supported from said cross ties by a seated engagement of the flanges c on each hanger box with the upper surfaces of the cross ties the boxes 12 are secured in proper position on the ties by screw bolts 1, that are passed down through screw holes in the flanges c, a into the cross ties, as is represented in Fig. 2.

From the bearing bars 11. opposite the center of each cap piece 13, a post 0 extends down and passes loosely through an opening in the cap iece, and from each post an axially centra guide rod 6 is downwardly extended. The guide rod 6 on each post e is of a length that will prevent its downward projection through an opposite perforation in the bottom wall I) of a respective hanger box 12, and between the lower end of the post and said bottom wall, a coiled spring 9 is located, which is mounted on the guide rod, as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The height of the s rings 9 and their tensional strength is S1101, with regard to the bearing bars 11 and guard bars 10 thereon, that the upper surfaces of the guard bars will be disposed'in the same horizontal plane, and somewhat below the top surfaces of the track rails B.

The ends of the guide rods 6 that project down through the bottom walls I) of the hanger boxes 12, are transversely perforated and receive split keys h, which prevent an upward displacement of the guide rods and consequently secure the guard bars from rising an improper degree.

At the ends of the guard. bars 10, similar ledge strips 14 are secured on the cross ties A; these strips, which are preferably formed of plate metal, are angular, having an inverted V-shape, and provided with flanges at their edges, which are seated upon the cross ties and secured thereon adjacent to the ends of the guard bars 10. The ledge strips have an equal height with the sloped ends a of the guard bars 10, and serve to close the space below said ends, thus preventing man or beast from thrusting their feet below said ends a.

It will be noted that the convexed surfaces of the guard bars 10 will twist the hock joints of an animal that steps upon the cattle guard, and furthermore, as the latter yields, due to the imposed weight, the footing is so unsubstantial as to alarm the beast and cause it to retreat.

The instinctive aversion of cattle to tread.- ing on loose boards or other yielding surfaces, is an effectual barrier to their travel over the improved cattle guard, and renders it very effective in service.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

7 1. In a cattle guard, a plurality of guard bars, bearing bars to which the guard bars are secured, and spring supports for the bearing bars, each spring support comprising a rod depending from a bearing bar, a guide in (\{vhich the rod works, and a spring on the ro 2. The combination with cross ties for a railroad, spaced apart on the roadbed, of a cattle guard, embodying a plurality of similar guard bars, having convex top surfaces and sloped ends, a plurality of flat bearin bars whereon the guard bars are secure parallel with each other and spaced apart, and a plurality of spring supports for the bearing bars, each consisting of a hanger box hung between the adjacent cross ties, a depending post secured at the upper end thereof on a bearing bar, a guide rod on the lower end of the post and working through the lower wall of the hanger box, and a coiled spring that is mounted on the guide rod and presses on the post.

3. The combination with cross ties for a railroad, spaced apart on the roadbed, of a cattle guard, embodying a plurality of similar guard bars having convex top surfaces and sloped ends, a plurality of bearing bars whereon the guard bars are secured arallel with each other and spaced apart, a p urality of spring supports for the bearing bars hung from the cross ties and disposed between them, and ledge strips secured on the cross ties adjacent to the ends of the guard bars.

4. In a cattle guard of the character described, the spring supports for the cattle guard bars and bearing bars thereon, each support embodying an essentially U-shaped hanger box having a fiat bottom wall and horizontal flanges extended oppositely from the upper ends thereof, a correspondingly shaped cap piece mounted on the hanger box, a post hung from a corresponding bearing bar, a guide rod extended from the lower end of the post, having less diameter than said post, the uide rod passing loosely through the flat hottom of the hanger box, a cross pin in its projected end, and a coiled spring mounted on the guide rod between the hanger box and the lower end of the post.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT M. HOWERY. JOHN B. CLARK. Witnesses:

SETH BANISTER, O. H. HowERY. 

